Jim Hardy of Houston, Texas, brings many perspectives to golf instruction. The PGA Life Member is a former PGA Tour and Senior PGA Tour player, and has teamed with Peter Jacobsen to found a highly successful golf-course design firm.

Hardy was named one of America's 50 Greatest Teachers by Golf Digest in 2002 and 2003, and has been a perennial member of GOLF Magazine's Top 100 Teachers. He also has served as a television commentator and expert analyst for NBC, ESPN, CBN and Mizlou networks.

Hardy has made it his mission to bring clarity to the teaching profession, giving an estimated 500 lessons annually to students at Blackhorse Golf Club in Cypress, Texas. His work with other teachers such as Hank Haney and with touring professionals also has become legendary. Hardy first began coaching Jacobsen, his business partner, in 1984. He also has tutored Paul Azinger, Brad Faxon, Tom Pernice, Duffy Waldorf, Scott McCarron and other touring professionals.

His book, entitled The Plane Truth, was published in 2005 and is popular with top amateurs and professionals. The book hit the New York Times Best Seller list in the sports category and went on to spawn a second book, The Plane Truth for Golfers: Master’s Class and a DVD series.

Two additional books were written by Hardy: "Solid Contact” published in 2012 and "The Release, Golf's Moment of Truth" published in 2016.

Hardy, the 2002 Southern Texas PGA Harvey Penick Teacher of the Year award winner, grew up on one of the world's most classic golf courses, Prairie Dunes in Hutchinson, Kansas. Today, that traditional approach to design is very evident in his own design philosophy. After spending several years on the PGA Tour, Hardy began teaching golf professionally and became co-founder of one of today's most widely attended golf schools in the world. He has played a key role in developing more than 40 golf course-related properties.

In 2016, Jim was inducted into the World Golf Teachers Hall of Fame.

Birthplace: Hutchinson, Kansas

Born: February 25, 1943